Born in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, Debesh has been working in the field of theatre for the last thirty three years. He is the founder and director of “Sansriti”. He has directed over 40 plays in Bengali. “Winkle Twinkle”, “Devi Sarpomasta”, “Phataru”, “Saudagorer Nouka” are milestone productions on the Bengali Stage directed by Debesh.

Not only proscenium, but he has also directed plays for intimate and site-specific theatre. He is a well acclaimed theatre academic and expert, and has completed a senior fellowship on “Cognitive Neuroscience and Theatre”. He has written several books on theatre. “The Week” magazine felicitated him as one of the ‘Fifty emerging stars of India’ in 2003. Debesh has been honoured by Paschimbanga Natya Academy (Govt. of W.B.) as “Best Director” twice. Recipient of many awards Debesh directed his first feature film “Natoker Moto: like a play” in 2015. It was included in International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa in the Indian Panorama and, International Competition Section. Film Critic Circle of India (FCCI) honoured him as best debut director of 2015 for the film. Currently he is working on “Natyashastra”. Highest state award in theatre (Girish Ghosh Samman) was given to Debesh by Govt. of W.B. (I&CA) in 2019.

Shey (2012)

Shey is dramatisation of Tagore’s story of same name consisting fourteen episodes.Shey is presented as a human being who is simultaneously a fictional character, a teller/performer as well as a listener. Though the narration is akin to a children’s tale it is different turn for the grand-father who is not interested to recount something commonplace and so the story begins not with “once upon a time there was a king” but with: “there is a man…”. This “man” is Shey. He is nameless, almost faceless, for he can be any of us. Shey is not restricted to a fictional character exclusively and nor does the grand-father always remain Shey’s creator. If the narration is not of Shey’s liking he has the liberty to suggest alterations and even re-enact in them as he fancies. Unlike the king/prince of conventional tales, informs our narrator, Shey is subject to all the emotions and instincts that a real man is likely to have and hence can also voluntarily terminate his role if the need be.

Within these protean strategies we have narrations/enactments that range from Shey’s prospective marriage to his transmigration of soul though not necessarily presented always in a chronological manner. Shey ends as it had begun, abruptly. And we don’t grumble for so does life, too.

SHEY :

Shey is a dramatisation of Rabindranath Tagore’s story of same name consisting fourteen episodes. Shey is presented as a human being who is simultaneously a fictional character, a teller/performer as well as a listener. Though the narration is akin to a children’s tale it is different turn for the grand-father who is not interested to recount something commonplace and so the story begins not with “once upon a time there was a king” but with: “there is a man…”. This “man” is Shey. He is nameless, almost faceless, for he can be any of us. Shey is not restricted to a fictional character exclusively and nor does the grand-father always remain Shey’s creator. If the narration is not of Shey’s liking he has the liberty to suggest alterations and even re-enact in them as he fancies. Unlike the king/prince of conventional tales, informs our narrator, Shey is subject to all the emotions and instincts that a real man is likely to have and hence can also voluntarily terminate his role if the need be.
Within these protean strategies we have narrations/enactments that range from Shey’s prospective marriage to his transmigration of soul though not necessarily presented always in a chronological manner. Shey ends as it had begun, abruptly. And we don’t grumble for so does life, too.

Story : Rabindranath Tagore

Dramaturgy & Direction : Debesh Chattopadhyay